Red Hat Certification Renewal

Keep your skills—and your certification—current

Red Hat® Certified Professionals (RHCPs) are skilled, proven, and ready to take on the toughest IT challenges. Their certifications, validated through rigorous, performance-based examination, prove they deliver results.

How do I keep my certification current?

Options for keeping certifications current

It’s critical for IT professionals to apply their skills and knowledge regularly to stay fresh. They must also remain current with new and revised technologies. Red Hat policies for RHCPs ensure they meet these expectations.

There are different ways to keep a certification current, depending on the type of certification. You always have the option of retaking an exam to renew its associated certification. In some instances, you can earn other certifications to keep your certification current. This approach allows IT professionals to expand their skills and knowledge into new areas, which is increasingly important for a successful IT career.

Note: Earning your RHCE—or another eligible credential—moves the non-current date for your RHCSA out to 3 years from the date on which the additional credentials were earned. This does not keep your RHCSA in Red Hat OpenStack® and RHCE in Red Hat OpenStack current. (See below.)

Note: Earning additional credentials beyond RHCE moves the non-current date for both your RHCE and RHCSA out to 3 years from the date on which the additional credentials were earned. This does not keep your RHCSA in Red OpenStack and RHCE in Red Hat OpenStack current. (See below.)

Note: Earning additional credentials beyond an RHCJD that can be applied toward an RHCA track moves the non-current date for your RHCJD out to 3 years from the date on which the additional credentials were earned.

The RHCE in Red Hat OpenStack can only be kept current by passing the Red Hat Certified Engineer in Red Hat OpenStack exam (EX310) again while one’s RHCSA in Red Hat OpenStack is still current. If the RHCSA in Red Hat OpenStack is no longer current, then the Red Hat Certified System Administrator in Red Hat OpenStack exam must be passed again.

Like other Red Hat credentials, all Red Hat Certified Specialist certifications are considered current for 3 years. However, these can only be kept current by taking and passing their respective exams again.

RHCA is Red Hat’s highest level of certification, and its requirements for staying current are demanding. An RHCA must maintain 5 eligible credentials beyond their RHCE or RHCJD, but that does not necessarily mean maintaining the same 5 credentials earned. You can earn a new Certificate of Expertise and allow a previously earned Certificate of Expertise to go non-current.

If you have earned more than 5 eligible credentials beyond RHCE or RHCJD, you earn a higher level of RHCA. For example:

If you earned 7 credentials beyond RHCE, you would be an RHCA Level III.

If one of these became non-current, then you would become an RHCA Level II.

If you let another certification became non-current, you would have 5 current certifications and would be an RHCA.

If the number of eligible, current certifications goes below 5, you would lose your RHCA status, but it can be easily restored by either re-taking past exams or by taking new Certification of Expertise exams.

Ways to test

When it’s time to renew your certification, Red Hat offers several testing options.

Classroom exams

Take our hands-on examinations in a classroom setting at a Red Hat testing facility, monitored by a proctor and using preconfigured hardware from Red Hat.

Individual exams

Our performance-based exams can be taken on a secure, preconfigured testing station at a Red Hat or Red Hat partner location—at a date and time convenient for you.

Onsite exams

Get greater flexibility and convenience by having certification exams delivered to your location.

Certification toolkit

The information you need. All in 1 place.

It shouldn’t be a chore to learn about—and register for—the certification you need. We provide a number of ways to help you.